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Nara Sightseeing & the World of Buddhist Statuary

The Five-story Pagoda of Kohfukuji Temple and the Pond of Sarusawa

At Nara Park

Nara Park and several deer

Isuien Garden, a strolling-style landscape garden.

Isuien Garden

The South Great Gate to Todaiji Temple and several deer

The Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple

Nigatsudo Hall of Todaiji Temple

Kasuga Grand Shrine

Lantern-lit room in one of the Kasuga Grand Shrine buildings

Sake tasting at a local sake brewery in Nara Machi

Nara Sightseeing & the World of Buddhist Statuary

Art, Culture, & Historical

Joined 2016

Yoshihisa T.

4.97 / 5

(287 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Nara

Japanese (Native), English

7 hours

Private tour (only you and Yoshihisa T.)

Up to 5 people

Through this tour you will be intrigued with the charm of Buddhist statuary, which represents people's wishes and prayers. Figures of statues vary according to the development of eras from Asuka period to Muromachi period. At the same time you can visit Nara Park, where you can feed deer. Also you can visit a nice sake tasting place after the tour if you like.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

10:00 AM

Meeting Point

Kintetsu Nara Station or JR Nara Station

Kohfukuji Temple and its national treasure museum

Nara Park ( You can enjoy feeding rice-bran crackers to deer.)

Isuien Garden, a strolling-style landscape garden with two different types of gardens built in different ages.

Todaiji Temple ( the Great Buddha Hall, Nigatsu-do Hall and Hokke-do Hall )

Kasuga Grand Shrine ( Strolling in the cedar forest is very cool and refreshing. )

Local sake tasting at a sake brewery in Nara Machi

Ending Point

Kintetsu Nara Station or JR Nara Station

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

guide fee

What‘s not included

lunch, entrance fee ( ￥3600) for Kohfukuji Temple ( the national treasure house ) Isuien Garden and Todaiji Temple ( the Great Buddha Hall ) and local sake tasting (￥500 or more ) at the sake brewery.

Tour Important Information

This is a walking tour and it is desirable that you wear walking shoes or sneakers. A pet bottle of water is to be carried with you.

Important message from the supplier

It is desirable to carry overseas travel insurance because the guide is not liable for any damage or loss incurred during the tour. It is also requested to bring enough Japanese yen with you because some restaurants and taxis do not accept credit cards.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2016

Yoshihisa T.

4.97 / 5

(287 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Yoshihisa T.

Hi. My name is Yoshihisa. Call me "Yoshie", please. It means good or O.K. in Japanese. I live in Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture, located just in between Kyoto and Nara. I was born and raised in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Iga is a birthplace of ninja and a renowned haiku poet, Matsuo Basho. I might be a descendant of ninja. I aim at becoming a linguistic ninja, following a part of Basho's lifestyle with the incorporation of seasonal changes into my tours. In addition to visiting famous temples and shrines, I invite you to lesser-known places of historic interest.

Once in a month I go hiking or mountain climbing with some friends mainly in mountains surrounding Kyoto and Nara basins. Recently I have got intrigued by the charms of Buddhist statues, which are manifestations of people's wishes and prayers. I also like izakaya (Japanese-style taverns) hopping, tasting delicious dishes and locally brewed sake at reasonable prices. Especially I like communicating with people from home and abroad, talking face to face. Some of the above-mentioned elements are included in my walking tours. I hope you will discover new aspects of cultural and natural beauty in Kansai area through one of my tours which you could never gain otherwise.

One of my favorite phrases that come from Zen Buddhism is Ichigo Ichie or this meeting-but only once in a lifetime. My interpretation goes this way: This place and this moment never cross again. Each and every good encounter, however, lingers on like the sound of a temple bell. Won't you explore a deeper world of Japanese culture in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka with me?

Reviews

Kendall R.

5 / 5

Jun 5, 2026

A Five-hour Tour in Nara for Kendall's Family

Jun 5, 2026

Nara

5 hours

Customized

“Great tour around Nara”

Our five-hour tour of Nara with Yoshihisa was fantastic, and we highly recommend him. From the very beginning, his communication leading up to the day was clear and helpful, making the planning seamless. As soon as we met at the train station, he went above and beyond by helping us resolve an issue with our IC cards that we couldn't fix on our own, which saved our trip back home. Another thoughtful touch was a beautiful gift of origami made by his wife, which was a wonderful surprise. Yoshihisa did a great job tailoring the day to our specific interests. We started at a beautiful garden, which was a major interest of ours, before exploring the temples. Throughout the day, he handled all the logistics of getting tickets at each site and guided us smoothly, sharing useful information about Japanese customs, history, and traditions. He was also glad to answer all of our questions and selected a site for a great lunch. We kept up a quick pace to fit everything in, allowing us to see many great temples and sites around Nara before returning to the station. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, helpful, and organized guide, definitely book a tour with Yoshihisa.

Yoshihisa T.

Hi Kendall. I appreciate your excellent comment on my tour in Nara. I am very pleased to learn that you and your family enjoyed the Nara tour with me a lot. I also had lots of fun, guiding and talking with you all. I wish every one of you good health and the best of luck. Yoshie

Julia J.

5 / 5

Jun 1, 2026

My Favorite Golden Route: Kyoto One-day Tour

Jun 1, 2026

Kyoto

8 hours

“Absolutely wonderful guided tour!!!”

Yoshi was amazing. He took us to places that we never would have found before. We also got to ride every transit system which was a treat because we were too scared to venture on our own for fear of getting lost. He was knowledgeable and kind and even walked my daughter and I to our tea ceremony after the tour!

Yoshihisa T.

Hi Julia. Thank you so much for your nice comment on my tour in Kyoto. I also had a lot of fun, guiding and talking with you and your family. I can imagine that you and your daughter enjoyed your tea ceremony wearing kimono. I wish all of you good health and the very best of luck. Yoshie

Aimee W.

5 / 5

May 25, 2026

My Favorite Golden Route: Kyoto One-day Tour

May 25, 2026

Kyoto

8 hours

“Yoshie was the best!! ”

We missed you the next day Yoshie!! We had so much fun exploring Kyoto, the tours were amazing, you were so much fun, the homemade origami’s were beautiful that your wife made, tell her thank you so very much. We will definitely be back to see you again. From the bottom of our hearts thank you, we appreciate everything! Chad and Aimee

Yoshihisa T.

Hi Chad and Aimee. I really appreciate your very kind comment on my two-day tour in Kyoto. I also had a great time, guiding and talking with you two. I am pleased that you liked all the dishes at the yakitori restaurant. I sincerely hope that our paths will cross again in the near future. With all the best wishes. Yoshie